Council to consider full ban of big trucks on Maplewood Ave.

PORTSMOUTH — Truck traffic on Maplewood Avenue could be a thing of the past, provided a new city ordinance wins approval from the City Council.

If the ordinance passes, truck traffic will be limited from Central Avenue to Woodbury Avenue, according to Councilor Ken Smith and will then essentially be diverted onto the Spaulding Turnpike.

Smith, who also serves as the chairman of the city traffic and safety committee, said the main goal of the ordinance is to get trucks off neighborhood streets, and "out on the highways and byways where they belong," he said.

Currently, there are no trucks allowed on Woodbury Avenue, said Smith and with the new ordinance in place, trucks making commercial deliveries will be the only ones affected.

Tractor trailer trucks making local deliveries will not be affected, he added, and those include large moving vans or trucks moving heavy equipment to the residential areas.

Smith remembers hearing about the truck problems back when he was on the planning board and said that trucks traveling along the narrow stretch of roadway have the potential to create a lot of unwanted noise and pose dangerous conditions for the residents.

"It's safer for people, kids, and bicyclists," said Smith.

The long time city figurehead who also lives just off Maplewood Avenue said that he's heard several residents complain about the truck traffic and he's happy something is finally being done about it.

"I'm glad we're finally there," he said.

Having already received approval from the traffic and safety committee, the ordinance is up for a second reading and public hearing at the Aug. 4 council meeting.